Ice and Snow
by dark-birdie
Summary: Three best friends, one loves another. The third is jealous. What will become of friends through lies and deceit? A happy beginning, and a sad ending.


Spiral: Hey peeps! (PLZ DON'T HURT ME! I WILL GET TO UPDATING OTHER FICS SOON! I PROMISE!)) you haven't heard from me for I while, I know, but whatever. . .

This fic was inspired by the short story "Ice and Dark" from the manga/anime DNAngel, and when I heard of it, I just HAD to write a sad parody on it. . .but change it to a happy ending. . . of course, it's RxC, just cause I ALWAYS have to have Rath in my fics, and Cesia is the only one that fits him. . .yah. . .enjoy. . .

Oh yeah, and in this first chapter, the boys are around 9 and Cesia is 8

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Ice and snow

xxxx

It's an ordinary start 

_With "Once upon a time. . ."_

_Well, here's the true story of our past_

_Not the fairy tale you read now. . ._

_But the hard and terrible secret_

_That lies hidden after the pages of the book_

_Not to be found by wandering eyes_

_But yours fall upon it_

_And read on. . ._

_Once upon a time. . ._

There were three best friends.

The only girl in the trio was both adventurous and smart, and was the most beautiful and attractive girl. With long curlish locks of raven-colored hair and beautiful violet eyes. She came from a common-folk family. Not rich, but not poor, and money or not, she was more than happy every day.

The group troublemaker and class-clown; the one to constantly make mistakes and trip over pebbles, was of royal nobility. Smooth strands of pitch-black hair tinted with a bit of white and crimson-red eyes made him quite noticeable, but either way he was very handsome.

And lastly, there was the one who kept things in order, kept everyone safe, and kept everyone from wandering astray from the path of life. The boy had longer hair than his fellow male companion, and it was red, too. And he had the most beautiful velvet-green eyes to fit his all over enigma. He may have been a bit nagging, but his friends didn't care, or maybe just didn't notice, because him being there made them the trio they were.

These three best friends had grown up with each other, played with each other, learned with each other, and almost lived with each other since time remembered.

_But that's just it. Time runs out._

() (X) ()

"Hey Rath! Come on!"

"Yah! Let's go!"

"But. . ." The young prince glanced from his friends, to his study books. "Alfeegi told me to study these!"

"C'mon! He won't even notice you're gone! It'll only be for a little while!" yelled his friend back. "Plus, Cesia wants to show us something!" Bierrez leaned on the wooden gate to swing it open for the prince to join them.

"Really?" asked Rath, now curious. "What?"

Cesia put a finger to her lips. "It's a secret 'til we get there!"

"Well?" yelled Bierrez again. "You coming or what?"

Rath glanced from friends to books once more, then quickly threw his rather expensive luggage onto the ground. "Of course I am! Let's go!"

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"Wow. . ." muttered Rath under his breath as he took in the sight before him. The three friends had pushed aside the tall grass to enter the secret haven Cesia had found. It was a wondrous place.

There was a small hill, the edge over looking an equally as small lake. The day time began to come to an end, and the young Prince's eyes wandered over to the surface of the lake. Small, tiny lights were reflecting in the clear water. Actually, not only were they showing in the water, the small lights were everywhere, filling the sky and air around them with tiny dots of golden happiness.

"Fireflies!" shouted Rath in glee, turning this way and that to stare at all the small insects flying around him.

"Yup!" said Cesia, winking and putting a finger up, "I heard you saying you've never seen them before."

"Yes, but. . ." he took in the sight around him once again, "Alfeegi said they only grew in the Hermosa region!"

"Oh, I get it!" said Bierrez, pointing to the trees nearby.

"Get what?" asked Rath, staring at the trees to see if they were causing some sort of phenomenon.

"The trees!" said Bierrez, running his fingers over the branches and trunk of the small tree.

"What about them?" no matter how hard Rath looked, nothing about the trees seemed interesting or bizarre.

"These trees, they grow in the Hermosa region!" concluded Bierrez, with an arrogant grin, "Fireflies make nests in only these types of trees. It's said that they only grow in Hermosa, but I guess somehow some seeds drifted over here and planted themselves!"

Cesia and Rath stared at their intelligent friend.

"You're such a dork, Bierrez," laughed Cesia, pinching him on the cheek and giggling some more.

"Uh. . .yah, well, I've read some books. . ." Bierrez looked down at the grass in between his feet. The night covered the crimson redness spreading across his face.

"C'mon! Let's go into the lake!" Cesia grabbed her two friends' hands and forced them down to the circle of water at the bottom of the hill.

And there they spent the night; laughing and playing until they couldn't possible stand on two legs anymore. They continued to play and meet at their secret spot and didn't care if they were too old to still have "secret spots". It was a place only for the trio, so that the outside world had no way to break the feeling they had when they were together.

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"Hey! Bierrez! Catch anything yet?"

"No, still not a single bite. How about you?"

"It's not any easier trying to catch fish with your hands either," answered the teenage prince, his rolled up sleeves and pants getting soaked despite the folds.

"Well, I doubt we'll catch anything anyways," said 16-year-old Bierrez, sitting on the edge the hill, a hand-made fishing pole in his hands. "We've been trying to for the past ten years and haven't caught anything."

"Well, we can still try!" shouted 15-year-old Cesia, plunging her arms into the cold water to grab at a darting fish. But instead, her fingers yanked at the foot of the boy besides her. "Ack!"

Prince and girl fell into the lake, scrambling to get up as the slippery floor prevented it. Bierrez began to laugh hysterically as he watched the scene.

"Ah, sorry Rath," mumbled Cesia, rubbing her eyes, "Didn't mean to-" She opened her eyes to see Rath's face barely two inches away from hers.

When they had taken their unexpected plunge into the lake, Rath had fallen directly on top Cesia. If it wasn't for his arms automatically thrusting themselves out in front of him, Cesia would've been crushed under his weight.

"Ah! Um," Rath quickly removed himself from his awkward position on top of his friend and turned to face away from her. "Sorry. . .I didn't mean t- AH!" Once again he fell face first into the lake, but this time because a certain someone had decided to jump on to his back.

"What are you apologizing for, Rath?" asked Cesia cheerfully, drenched and soaked to the bone. "There's nothing to be sorry for!" She reached down into the cold watery depths and scraped up a pile of wet mud with her hands. "If you really want to be sorry for something, be sorry for not dodging!"

"Wait, wha-!" Rath was interrupted as a clod of mud was sent flying at his face. A loud "splat" announced that it had hit it's target. "What the heck was that for!" He yelled, happily getting up from the ground and picking up a mud clod as he went. "Take this!" He flung the mud at the laughing girl.

Bierrez laughed as he saw his two friends fling clods of mud at each other like retards in a fun house. But somehow. . .that joy in his heart started to turn to pain. Seeing his two best friends having so much joy together. . .well, it made him angry. He wanted to get between them and join in on the fun. And maybe perhaps. . .spend time with Cesia like Rath was. . .only, without Rath.

And this is how the friends continued life. Bierrez looked on as his two comrades became closer to each other. He pretended to be okay with it, but nothing could cover up the pain in his heart every time he saw them two together. And then. . .he happened to walk in on something. . .

Bierrez held his breathe as he hid behind the pillar of the grand hallway. All he had been doing was delivering a package to the dragon castle, but his little excursion became much more than what he had hoped it would be.

As he walked through the grand hallway, voices reached his ears. 'No. . .not again. . . they're alone. TOGETHER. . .again. . .' he thought, as the voices grew closer. Quickly looking around for a hiding place, he dashed behind one of the large pillars and sank into the shadows to not be seen.

"Rath. . .RATH! Do you really have to go?" Bierrez peered out from behind the pillar and spotted Cesia chasing after a determined looking Rath, the prince clad in armor from head to toe.

"Cesia, it's my father's order," said Rath, stopping in his tracks and turning to face the girl. "And even so, this is something I wish to do. If I am going to be a future king I have to protect my people!"

Cesia looked down at her feet, "But. . .war. . .Rath, it's WAR! What if you're killed!"

Rath smiled at the thought of his friend worrying over him. "Don't worry so much," he outstretched a hand and lifted her chin up with a finger. "I'll come back."

"But. . .Rath. . .I," Cesia tried to avoid his crimson eyes, but even with all her strength she couldn't. After all these years, she could never muster up the courage to say those three words. But. . .what if this was her last chance?

"Rath, I. . ." she took a deep breath and looked him straight in his eyes, "I love you." She removed his hand from her face and leaned in closer to his body. "I'd be very sad. . .if you didn't come back," she whispered, as her lips met with his. She wanted to believe him. Wholeheartedly, she really wanted to. And eventually, her heart convinced her that he indeed was going to come back.

As their lips bade each other farewell, Rath looked down upon the girl embracing him so tightly. He smiled as joyously as he could. This is what he had wanted for a long time. "Cesia. . .I feel the same way. And now that I know that you do, too. I promise. . ." he returned her embrace, "I will definitely come back to you." His hand slid into his shirt pocket. He had been prepared for this day for a very long time.

Cesia stared at the beautiful piece of jewelry before her. It was ring. An exquisite yet simple ring that held a dazzling diamond at its center.

"When I get back," said Rath, taking Cesia's smooth hand in his own, "I want to be together with you until the end of time." He slipped the ring onto her finger. And there it sat, a perfect match. "Cesia, I want you to marry me."

"Rath. . ." the girl stared from the ring to her lover and her eyes filled with tears. She ran to his arms and laughed, "Yes, I will, I WILL!"

"Good! That's what I hoped for!" smiled Rath, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We'll have the ceremony when I get back, how about that?"

"Fantastic," she replied, wiping her eyes. "But I have a gift for you, too."

"Oh, you do now?"

"Yes." Cesia grabbed something non-existent in front of her. A light shimmered and quickly went out as she summoned forth something in her hands.

Rath gently took the great sword from Cesia's hands. It was the most beautiful weapon he had ever laid eyes upon. The hilt was gold and elegantly designed with a soaring dragon, whose eyes were dotted with a blood-red ruby.

"It's a family treasure that was handed down to me," said Cesia, closing Rath's hand around the hilt. "I want you to have it."

"But-"

"I hope it protects you throughout your battles," she looked up into his eyes, "It is my greatest wish that it does."

Rath sheathed the sword to his waist and embraced his soon-to-be wife once again. "You are my blessing from heaven, Cesia."

"And you, I."

'No. . .' Bierrez stared into the darkness surrounding him. 'no, No, NO!' the thoughts echoed throughout his mind. "I can't let this happen, I can't!" he said to himself, running from the hallway as quietly and fast as he could. Why did it have to end like this? Why couldn't he be the one happy with the girl he loved? Why did the prince always get everything he so desired!

"Oh! Good evening, Bierrez," sounded a voice from behind him.

The pained boy turned to see the object that his desires so wanted to throttle and hurt. The Dragon Prince, the thief of his love, his best friend for so many years, was standing at the entrance of the Dragon Castle, alone.

"What are you doing out so late?" asked Rath, staring at the night sky as if everything in the world were right.

"Ah, nothing," lied Bierrez, taking in a deep breath and putting on a straight face. "Just had to deliver something."

"Oh, well then, I guess I'm just lucky today," said the prince, leaning on the balcony to stare at the stars with his friend. "I was going to find you anyways."

"Really, why?" asked Bierrez, completely uninterested but pretending to be anyways.

"Well," said Rath, his tone more serious now, "Tomorrow I leave for the battlefield. And I wanted to ask you a favor before I left."

Bierrez flinched. Why in the name of Dusis would he ever do anything for HIM? "What is it?" he asked, hiding his anger.

"If perhaps. . .I weren't to come back from war, then. . ." Rath looked a little down cast as he said this, "I want you to take care of Cesia and make sure she's happy." He concluded, starting to head back into the castle. "It is my dearest wish that she is."

"You can count on me. . ." replied Bierrez, smiling on the outside but burning on the inside. That was it. He had just been given his answer.

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Bierrez knew what to do. He would do anything to get what he desired just this one time. There was legend on the relic that lived in the City's temple. A legend that this certain relic could alter the time of someone. It was called the "Second Hand of Time", a name given to it be the very orders of god himself. Well, if it could alter time, surely it could take away time, too.

The anger-filled boy burst through the grand double doors and flung himself before the artifact, bowing his head down the lowest it could go.

It was a beautiful work of art. A giant shimmering statue that differed in many colors and glowed unceasingly. It was odd that something so beautiful, could do something so deadly

"PLEASE!" he shouted at it. "Please take away Rath's time! If he died in battle, it would be an honorable death! And then-! And then. . .Cesia would be able to love ME. . ." he sobbed, praying to the Second Hand of Time as hard as he could. This was a sinful and unforgivable wish, but to him, it had to be done. Cesia meant the entire world to him, but with Rath alive, she belonged to him, and him alone.

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And far off, on the battlefield of blood and death, it's said that the Prince was struck down by an arrow. But the weapon had not come from the enemy. It had flown down from _above._ And later on, it is also said, that the arrow resembled a large hand of a clock. And despite all promises made, the prince had been given death.

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Devastated upon hearing the news, Cesia ran to the Second Hand of Time and laid her head against the cool surface of it's stone. "Please. . ._PLEASE. . ._take my time and give it to Rath. He did not deserve to die, please let him live! Take all the time that lives within me and fill Rath with all the time he needs. As long as he's alive, I will be happy! Just—PLEASE!" Tears streamed down her face as she mourned over her loss. "I would never be able to live without him besides me! So just let him live! I don't care what happens to me!"

The ancient spirit took pity on the girl and granted her wish.

And the girl collapsed, dieing in a pool of her tears.

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Rath looked across the landscape. What had happened to his kingdom? Everything was covered with debris and gloom. Nothing like the life and joy it once was. The only building standing was. . .the temple. . .

He ran to it.

And found his love sprawled across the cold, hard ground.

"Cesia!" He tossed aside his sword and took the girl in his arms. "Cesia! Wake up! I'm back!" He said, fake smile across his lips. "I-I'm back. . ." a tear was making it's way to the corner of his eye.

"Rath. . . ?" murmured Cesia so quietly that you could barely make out the word. She forced open her eyes to see her love's face.

"Y-yes! I'm here! It'll be all right!" he said, taking her hand in his, fake smile still playing on his lips. "Now we can do all the things we said we'd do once I got back! Like getting married, and having a child, and-"

"I'm glad. . .that the Second Hand. . .granted my wish. . ." whispered Cesia, caressing Rath's cheek with her other hand. "That face. . .I wanted to see it again. . ."

"What. . .wish?"

"The Second Hand. . .I. . ." Her eyelids fluttered to a close as words escaped her lips, "My time is up. . ."

His eyes grew dark and his heart stopped. Her face. . .was so cold. . . "No. . .Cesia. . .You- you promised me, I promised you. . .we'd be together when I came back. . .and now," he closed his eyes and cried. The prince could not stop the tears. "And now you're dead. . ." He slammed his hands to the floor and shouted, "WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE TOGETHER!" His fingers felt the hilt of his sword. The very girl he so treasured and lost. . .had given him this sword. "No. . ." He lifted his body from the depths of the frozen ground and brought the golden sword up with him. There was a way. . .to save his love

"If- if she died for my sake. If she gave up her time for me. I. . .I could never live like that!" the prince in despair unsheathed his weapon, light playing off it's bright metal, and placed the penetrating tip to his heart. "There is a way to save her, I know it. If she gave up her time for me. . ." with one more push of strength, Rath pierced himself through the heart. "I. . .I return it all to her. . ."

The spirit of the Second Hand of Time cried endlessly, crystal clear tears streaming down a invisible face, dropping into the vast colored emptiness of the elegant chamber she dwelled in. _'I'm sorry. . .' _she murmured, looking upon the dying prince with sad empty eyes. _'I can only give times. . .not return. . .'_

And despite all his hopes. Despite all the promises. Despite all the dreams he had wanted to create with her. . .Rath died. . .The two lover died in each others arms, both yearning to keep the other alive.

And the Second Hand of Time looked upon them, sadness taking over her non-existent heart. _'I can only do this one thing for you. . .'_ she whispered, saying sacred words under her breath and drawing out the souls of the two fallen lovers. _'There is no such thing as heaven or hell. . .you won't be able to meet after death. . .but, I will do this one thing for you. . .' _The ancient relic became enveloped in a beautiful white light as she granted them a last wish. _'You will stay in my chamber. . .my Second Hand of Time. . .and stay in a deep slumber, together. That way. . .you can be together. . . until the end of time. . .'_

And that was all the spirit could do for the couple. And she, too, who had used all her power to help then, fell into a deep slumber.

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And to complete the last pages of this book, I write what lay ahead for the person who had started the deaths of everyone. Yes, Bierrez was not to die. The punishment for his sin was far worse than death. After realizing what he had done, he was to live with his guilt. He was to live on with darkness in his heart and a withered spirit. Of course, he had tried to end his life, but whenever he attempted it, something got in his way. A force that he could not explain stopped him whenever he was so close to ending his misery. It was a curse he was forced to bear. He had to live on. . .until he could not live anymore.

And so now you know the true story of a tragic tale.

And within these pages my soul is kept, still living with the curse I was given. Never to die, but to live with my guilt.

And when you turn this last page, finally. . .

I will be able to die. . .

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darkbirdie: ((yes, I DID change me name)) you can probably guess by now that Bierrez is the one who wrote the book. And then he finally got to die. And I know, I lied, I said there would be a happy ending, but, you know what? I couldn't figure out how to change it into a happy ending…it was just too sad…well, c ya, and don't forget to review!


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